Pep Guardiola claims Manchester City ended their long pursuit of Alexis Sanchez because they did not want to risk the stability of the club.

Guardiola backed City’s decision to give up on Sanchez because they felt the £35million transfer costs plus the striker’s £500,000-a-week wage demands were too much.

City have carefully developed their wage structure at the Etihad and Sanchez’s salary would have dwarfed that of top earner Sergio Aguero on £250,000-a-week.

The Chilean’s signing might also have complicated Kevin De Bruyne’s contract negotiations when the Belgium playmaker, who is so important for City’s future, is close to signing a new £220,000-a-week deal.

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Guardiola claimed the club is more important than any one transfer, even if he was so keen to be reunited with Sanchez at the Etihad.

“In my period at Barcelona, in my period at Bayern Munich and now here, I never put pressure on the club to say I want those players when the club believes and says it is too much,” said the City boss.

“I respect that decision and I move forward and look for another solution because the stability of the club is the most important thing.

“Normally we try to be stable with the wages of the players because I think it is good for the team and stability of the club.”

Man City were first in for Alexis Sanchez but weren't willing to meet his wage demands (Image: REX/Shutterstock)

City’s policy is not to rock the boat when their season is going so well and older fans will remember signing Rodney Marsh for a then record £200,000 in March 1972 when they were top of the table, only to finish fourth.

Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle blew an even bigger lead in the title race when they signed Tino Asprilla in February 1996 and missed out to Manchester United.

Guardiola was philosophical about losing out to United for Sanchez and insisted it had not soured his relationship with his former Barcelona star.

“At the end the players when they have contenders, decide where they are going to play, even their managers decide where they are going to play, so good luck!” he said.

The wage Man United are willing to pay far exceeds that of City's top earner Sergio Aguero (Image: Getty Images)

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“My opinion of Alexis remains the same. It was a pleasure to be with him at Barcelona and he has decided to move to another club and I wish him all the best.

“It’s not the first time it happened in my career that I wanted a player and they decided to move on to another club. It’s going to happen in the future.”

Despite missing out on Sanchez and the fact that Gabriel Jesus is crocked, Guardiola says he will not try to sign another forward this month.

(Image: Getty Images Europe)

Jesus should return in a couple of weeks from his knee injury and Guardiola feels the Brazilian and Aguero are enough.

He believes Raheem Sterling can also play up front and said: “We have the two strikers and we do not need another one in that position.

“Other players can play there in different circumstances. Raheem can play there. He did at Old Trafford and in the States in pre-season.

“To buy a striker, who can only play there, that is not going to happen.”